Fire Emblem: Edge of Sanity
by X-ray99
Summary: What is reason? Reason is the basic building block to a human's life. It can make someone stronger, break someone, or corrupt them... But is it evil? What will be the point of living without it...To have no reason, is to be emotionless ...not human...on the edge of sanity...
1. Chapter 1

_Reason...It is the basic building block of being human. Reason motivates them to perform whatever. It the point of living period. With reason, one can become desperate and draw power from a source most forget have ever existed. Reason can push someone, break someone, ...or even corrupt someone. _

The blue haired tactician and prince of Ylisse sits in the prison cell, rotting away in his flesh and blood. His dead blue eyes stares at the ground with no emotion besides despair. His freckled face can be seen draining from the lack of food. Hope? In his mind, there is no such thing. He has had hope when he was first thrown here in this dungeon, but now it had molded up into nothingness besides a memory worse than the rotting body in a different cell, giving away more sorrow with its smell. The only noise that can be heard is flies feeding off of such horror.

_"Sorry son..." _His step father's words echoes in his mind. "_But you're in the way of my plans. Goodbye." _

He remembers the red and green cavaliers leading him to the cell. They thew him in because of his resistance. His fist clutches in anger as his eyes brightens in hatred.

_"How dare he..." _He thinks to himself. How dare the false king call him _**son!**_ _"He better pray I don't get out of this cell, I will take that tome of his and shove so far up his ass, he wouldn't need it to cast spells!" _

Suddenly he gets up and grab the bars so fiercely it could scare the crap out of the inmates who been in this hell the longest. **"EDDRIIIIIIIIIIIIICK!"**

The locked up prince quickly calms himself down with a deep exhale. He knew getting angry was the last thing a tactician would want to do.

He would sigh, but the smell here could be deadly...well he likes to exaggerate, but he rather hold his anger in than inhaling more of this dungeon stench.

He just need to think of a way to get out of here. He heard that the green cavalier hates rotten smells and she along with the red on is sent down here to check on the prisoners. When she gets close enough to his cells, he will force her mouth open, forcing her to smell the nasty smell of this rotten place and hopefully faint. The red on will check on her, squatting down to do so, once that happens, he will steal his keys, release himself and afterwards stab them both as many as times as he wishes.

In the dark, he smirks evilly at his plan. As if on cue, the door opens to reveal the green cavalier and the red one. The green one haves her hand covering her mouth and nose. He smirks even wider and maniacally.

They both check on the prison cells wincing from some of the figures. When they come to him, they look at him with regret on their faces.

"Hey..." The red one says. His brown skin and brown eyes is barely seen in the darkness, but all the prince sees is red.

"You doing okay...?" The green one asks. Her long green hair that matches her armor can be a beacon to anyone in a crowd, her eyes are a common grey though...

"If you want to live, you _will_ open this cell and release me right now..."

The red one chuckles and to the tactician's surprised he agrees. "We got a plan all set out for our escape." He says slyly.

"What...?" Is all the tactician can mutter. "But why...? The jobs you have are good pay y'know."

The green one sighs inside her hands covering it somehow. "Because Ylisse just is not what it used to be with that new guy on the throne. I refuse to call him my king..."

"When we accepted out jobs, we promised to serve out kingdom and everything we love...but-"

"But this is no longer the Ylisse we fell in love with."

"Hmm... Well open up the bars. If you truly mean what you just say, you will help me dethrone the king."

The red one growls. "Definitely. But it is going to take a long while. You as a tactician know what one has to go through to do such with force."

"You're right...First, we will need to get out of here. And by 'here', I mean this country." His evil smirk and unnerving glare turns into a pleasant slight smile. "Hope has diminish in my sights a long time ago, but with you two, I have it again. What are your names?"

"Camira." The green cavalier introduce.

"Adem." The red one follows.

"For now, forget about releasing me and sneak me plenty or _real_ food. I'll need to recover from the pathetic state I am to be able to escape. Repeat this process until I am able to swing a sw-_blade_ again."

The two seems genuinely happy. "Okay! We'll be back tomorrow, soon to be king Balis." Camira whispers.

The two left, leaving Balis alone again. His stomach roars in pain and emptiness. He would ask them to rush him food now, but the others in the castle would get suspicious. He managed to make himself sleep once more.

_"Not too long..."_ He thinks to himself. _"Not long after this day where I will finally be out..." _

* * *

(Months earlier)

"Hatred..." Eddrick said to Balis, who is held down be guards. "Hatred _is_ reason. We humans have no other purpose but to destroy each other!"

Balis looks away from the man he dare call his father.

"You say the blade was not invented to be a weapon!? Well the SWORD was! SWORD? SWORE?! Us humans are nothing more than monsters that holds themselves back with silly things like reason and moral."

"Being one without moral is not human, it's being a _**psychopath!**_"

"It's being **_gods!_** If you cannot understand that and join my cause, you may as well waste away in the dungeon!"

"But your plan to destroy every other country just because of that belief is just plain evil! Chrom, you HAVE to agree with me!" Balis turns towards his younger brother who bears so much as a resemblance to his ancestor, his parents named him after the hero. He turned away, grimacing. Balis knew it is because he is too scared to be thrown in the same situation as he is now.

"Just like your mother..." Eddrick says. "I wouldn't have to stage an accident because of that."

That last sentence stung him. He felt little, but the emotions is still sinking in.

"Adem, Camira. Take him away."

The two leads him to the dungeon, but then he fills the full effects of his emotions. He goes berserk trying to break free. If it was the last thing he would do, all he wanted was Eddrick's head. He remembers filling all of the world turning on him and leaving him as the bars slam shut...

* * *

**A/N: So ummmm...yeah. Just kind of setting up the story with a basic plot. I don't know if it is cliche'd or anything, but, I'll find some way to make exciting, just trust your everyday author, Xray99! Nothing else to say besides this: For the few that read Arena Ferox Action, don't worry, I'll get back to that. :p Oh yeah, this takes place waaaaay after awakening, so no cannon characters, only references.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Gunlord: Thanks man, I'll keep going. :)**

* * *

"Here ya go!" Camira says cheerfully, handing over a plate of food.

Balis became recovered enough to at least start to build himself. In his normal unstarving mode, he looks like the his ancestor, the wife of Chrom, Robin except he haves blue hair, a more manly look, freckles, and dark blue eyes.

Balis drools like a zombie as he thinks _"...Fooood..."_

Faster than a normal human can, he gobbles his plate and almost even forgot to not eat the bones of the meat. The only thing he let out is a burp. Camira takes the plate back and walks away. She was not mad at Balis for not thanking her, the guy _was _starving.

The first time they brought something to eat to him, they forced him to eat it slowly since a body can die if it is starving, but then suddenly eats food too quickly.

Balis sits back in the corner silently waiting for the next day to come.

* * *

(Two days later)

"I need something to keep me from smelling this place. Got anything like that?"

"Well I do have a spell active with this tome here." Adem says, handing him the book and immediately putting his hand over his nose. "I kept it hidden from Camira since she would probably beg me non-stop to have it...literally.

"Thanks."

Adem nods before taking the plate he brought down.

Balis activates the spell, being relieve not to smell the dungeon. He grabs a random bar on the ceiling, put his legs over it and start doing sit ups.

* * *

(Four days later)

"Here's the next meal." Adem says, smiling and offering the plate of meat.

"No no no no no no. He needs more vegetables to recover faster!" Camira insist, holding out a plate of veggies.

"Did you see his condition almost a three weeks ago? He needs meat to regain some more muscle!"

"No, he needs veggies to keep himself healthy!" Camira turns towards the trapped Prince and smiles again. "Now go on and eat-AAH!"

Adem pushes her out of the way. "Ignore her. Just go and-" The green cavalier gets up and smashes the plate on his head. He falls on the floor with a grunt of pain. Adem gets up right afterwards, glaring and growling at Camira.

"Guys...Both of the plates are on the ground now..."

Suddenly the doors to the entrance slam open.

Balis rushes back to the corner of the cell and acts like he is in the miserable state he was in before.

"Whats going on down here!? What are you two doing?"

"Just bringing the prisoner another barely edible plate of food," Adem says, kicking away the fallen food on the ground silently.

"Heheheh...Make sure you sneeze on it before giving it to him. Be sure to get the bits in it." The guard turns around, chuckles and left.

"...Sorry..." Camira apologized.

Balis sighs. "...Just keep it from happening again."

* * *

(Three days later)

Eating another plate of food, he thinks about his plan to escape. Whatever the other two had in mind, it's going to be scrapped unless it is superior to his, but for now, he just want to be safe. When he finished his plate, he look back at the wall behind him, covered in markings he made one see in a basic thunder spell tome.

Somewhere else in the castle, a thief classed soldier catches the cavaliers attention.

"So...what exactly do you do down there in the dungeon?" He asks.

"Nothing." Camira responds.

"Well it's got to be _something_." He insists. "You guys go down their for about five minutes a time. It does not take that long to check on the only inmate alive in there."

"Well, we have to be sure." Adem says, feeling sweat that starts to form on his forehead.

He shrugs. "Whatever I guess." He walks off.

Adem and Camira both look at each other and sigh from relief.

* * *

(Four days later)

Balis stands up from his everyday corner. "Okay...I'm ready you two."

"You sure?" Adem asks.

"Yeah. Camira."

"Yes?"

"Get me a basic _thunder_ spell tome and Iron sword."

"Why thunder?"

"Just do it."

She grunts in annoyance and nods.

"Adem."

"What is it?"

"Bring some new cloth and some armor."

"That uh...might be hard to explain to others..."

"You'll find a way. Now hurry up and complete the tasks I gave you two."

They leave once again, shutting the dungeon entrance. If everything goes according to plan, this will be the last time he sits in this horrible darkness. He shakes excitement of the chance of seeing sunlight again...

* * *

Adem grabs some tactician clothes and armor for his future king. Looking left and right, he hurries out of the area for other tacticians. The hallways are filled with decorations such as gold bases, or green banners with the symbol of the exalt on it. He knew Balis would not exactly approve of green, but that's the style of Ylisseans. It would be hard for him to come up for a reason of getting any different colored cloaks, but with a green one, he can just say he is doing an errand for a fellow tactician of Ylisse.

Many more tacticians became a common soldier for this kingdom a long time ago after queen Robin opened the academy for such talents. He thought about becoming one himself, but quickly dismissed it since he was more of a person who hates studying.

Adem whispers the Fire Emblem main theme song as he passes allies/soon to be enemies. Thankful that no one is around, he walks nears the doors. His mistake, not checking the shadows.

"Not doing anything huh?" A familiar voice says.

Adem face palms. "Fine... I give up..."

"So tell me, what are up to?"

"I want to learn some tactician's tricks from prince Balis so I can get in the strategy team easier." He lies.

"What makes you sure that Balis is willing to do such thing?"

"I've been giving him actual food..."

"Huh...I guess that's not too bad for me to tell king Eddrick...for a price."

"Oh come on!"

"Do it, or I'll snitch." The thief smirks as Adem sighs and gives him ten gold pieces. The thief raises an eyebrow. "Is that it?"

Adem grumbles as he gives him his last bit of gold, which was only three pieces...being a generic soldier did not pay much...

"One last question, why do you need armor?"

"Just holding it gives me good luck?"

With one last stare, the thief leaves him alone. "Phew..."

He enters and shuts the door slowly. He curses as a hand stops it. He is in deep shit now... Maybe he can explain the whole giving the prince food for some lessons thing, but the other soldiers might not be so gullible!

...Luckily, it is only Camira.

"Don't scare me like that!" He whispers harshly, pulling her in the dungeon and quickly closing the door. Something got caught between the door and the wall it closes with.

"What the-"Adem pulls it out. He can barely see it, but it appears to be a type of green cloth that extends and attaches to the back of Camira's armor.

"Is this a cape? ...Why do you have a cape?"

"I need to hide the weapons I got for Balis _somehow_."

"Well now that you completed that task, you can get rid of it."

"Hell no! This thing looks good on me if I say so myself!" She poses like a super hero and trying to cover her nose, causing Adem to roll his eyes.

"Can you two give me the items now...?" Balis asks.

"Right, sorry." They both respond.

After receiving the weapons and armor, Balis orders them to get out so he can change.

* * *

Outside, the two is standing awkwardly next to each other in front of the dungeon entrance. Hearing three quick knocks, they sneak back inside to see Balis ready for action.

"Now, here is what we do-"

"We already have a plan!" Camira complains.

"And that might be...?"

"Well..uh, dress you like a tactician and sneak you out of here?"

"I guess that should work. Now...get me out of here."

Adem insert the keys into the lock and slowly open the bars for the first time in a _long_ time. Balis takes his first step outside the cell with a slight grin.

"I'll check to see if the coast is clear. Tacticians don't usually hang around this area, which is why even if they do not know who you are, it will still raise suspicion."

Adem opens the entrance again and looks both ways. He made sure to even walk around to look for anymore annoying lurkers like that thief. He was just about to run back in and say the coast is clear, but then as soon as he turns around, he sees another soldier, a knight.

"Um...Hi?" The knight asked.

"Hello."

"What are you doing?"

"Checking for assassins."

"This castle is guarded from all corners..."

"I see."

"Then what's the point of you checking for assassins?"

"Just to be safe."

The knight sighs, but it sounds more hollow since it is through the metallic mask and his helm that covers his head. "Just tell me what you are up to please?"

"Fine...I'm doing magic tricks...or attempting to anyway."

"Really?! C'mon, do a trick right now!"

"N-now?"

"...Yes...NOW...Unless of course you were lying."

"No, no, no! Alright, watch this." He forms his right hand into a cup like position. "Look in here."

The knight does so, closing his other eye to get a better look. Immediately afterwards, Adem jams his other finger in the knight's eye, causing him to curse and scream.

"C'mon guys!" Adem yell.

Balis and Camira rush out of the dungeon...but Balis stops and covers both of his eyes with his hands.

"What now!?" Adem asks.

"He has not seen this much light in a long time I wager." Camira responds.

"You fucking prick!" The knight yells, pulling out a Bronze Lance.

"W-whoa now, lets just calm down!" Adem says, laughing nervously.

"Calm down? CALM DOWN!? _**You just poked me in my fucking eye!**_"

"Well the original trick was to pull a gold piece out of your eye socket!"

"Don't give a crap. Have at thee!"

"Would it count if I was planning to give you the gold afterwards!?"

"No!"

The knight raise the Lance in the air before charging at Adem. He can feel the air passing by him along with the lance as he move out of the way.

The current group can hear footsteps rushing towards them from all directions. "God dammit." Adem says as he sees soldiers and generals surrounding them, wondering what is going on.


	3. Chapter 3

Balis's vision is still white, but he can make out the battle scene between Adem and the Knight. Although he could not see very clearly, he did not have to see much to see that Adem is losing.

"Camira...Let go."

Camira does just that and watch as Balis takes out his thunder tome and blast the knight to the ground.

He let himself breath again, shaking his head back and fourth. He is still squinting his eyes, but they have adjusted to the light somewhat.

The scene is not over however and the three knows that as the soldiers rushes in the hall where this takes place. To make matters worse, a General is seen with them. The silver armor and frightening size does not exactly help either.

The General approaches Adem, staring at him as if he was about randomly stab something.

"Whats going on here?"

Adem steps forward immediately. "Sir Argent, the knight has attacked me first. I never meant any harm to anyone."

_"Sorta..."_ He thinks to himself.

"Is that so? Explain the situation. Now."

"I was just your everyday friendly cavalier in red taking a stroll in the castle, trying to complete some duties, but then this jackass comes around and challenges-"

"I've heard enough." Argent says, raising his hand to make Adem stop talking.

He slowly studies the area, looking right towards the troops that had just come for the same reason he has, and left to see the three mysterious soldiers doing who knows what. The green one with the cape catches his eye only because Cavaliers don't wear capes, but he ignores that when he lay his vision on the tactician.

Upon being noticed, the Tactician grunts in annoyance, furthering the General's interest.

Argent slowly advances towards him. "Your not supposed to be here, Tactician. So tell me, why are you so?"

He shrugs. "Just practicing some dark magic. I am here to gather knowledge about the suffering of others. They say...one's pain is another's joy. No one can live without someone else paying for it. I already have knowledge on happiness."

"Either way, Dark magic is illegal here. I'd expect you to know that." Argent says as he reach for his silver lance.

Balis ignores him and continues his speech. "But, the most important element to dark magic is change. It can be good change, it can be a bad kind... Who knows. But answer me this, Argent. Why did you let... _him_ take the throne. You must be capable of dark magic considering how much you changed the reason you live. What was it again? To protect my queen and her bloodline...?"

"...Prince Balis?"

Balis's voice grows darker. "Either something happened to you, or you were just speaking Pegasus dung. Meaning you _don't_ deserve that armor, you _don't_ deserve your title, not even your name!"

Argent breathes heavily, saying nothing besides, "...Your under arrest, soldier." He turns towards Adem and Camira. "You two are as well."

Camira and Adem glance at each other nervously.

"Fine... But one question, when I surrender, do I throw my weapons down then my hands up? Or is it the other way around?"

Balis is trying to irritate the General, which is working. "What question is that? Of course you surrender your weapons first! Now hurry up!"

"As you wish." Balis throws his Tome in the air and grabs his sword, grinning.

Argent draws his weapon, knowing how the tactician is unsheathing his sword _too_ quickly.

"Here you go!" Balis yells, throwing his sword at the face of Argent.

Argent knocks the blade out of the air with a quick swing of his lance. He did not expect the traitor to catch his tome and a thunder spell to hit him. He falls on his knees, clearly temporally stunned from the magical attack.

A soldier rushes to his aid. "General Argent, are you okay!?"

The silver knight ignores them. "P-prince Balis... _**Wait!**_"

It was too late, the three have already left the scene.

* * *

"Balis, I don't think that was a good idea!" Adem warns as they run with him, ignoring the passing cooks, guards, and other people who lives in the castle.

"Then stop running and stay calm... The castle towers should be this way."

"What are we going there for?" Camira asks.

"Just trust me."

Seconds later, they arrive at the entrance, guarding by Knights and Mages.

"Ah, a Tactician! What should I do for you sir!?" The knight says proudly.

"We need access towards the top of the towers, just to check to see any kind of possible ways the unwanted could enter."

"Ah yes, Mr Tactician. I assume these are your bodyguards?"

"Yep, they got promoted recently, now about the tower."

The knight nods and let them enter.

When they get to the stairs Adem looks up and groans.

"We might as well begin the struggle." Balis says.

"B-but why!? Why do we need to get to the towers?"

He turns towards Adem with an annoyed expression of his face. "Fine, lets try and escape out the front where many archers, mages, and generals are guarding."

Adem scratches his head in embarrassment, realizing how correct Balis is. "Well when you put it like that..."

"Wow... Reminds me of the Frederick's fitness hour." Camira says. The sentence alone cause Adem to shudder.

"Whatever psycho made that program must have been one of those guys who come running with tea and a blanket for their lord if they just sneeze..."

"Or would be willing to ride over two mountains to a freezing lake or something just to prepare dinner..."

The two cavaliers chuckles like little kids at a play ground, adding to Balis annoyance.

"...Are you two done?

"...Maybe..." They both says.

"Good enough." Balis looks upwards to the endless sets of stairs. "Now lets get started."

Step after step, stair after stair, they struggle up the tower slowly. It took a long while, but they manage to get to the roof of it where Snipers, Sages, and Pegasus knights are to guard the skies of the castle.

Adem is the first one out of a floor door. He knocks it upwards and pulls himself up, gasping as if he has just got finish running a marathon.

Balis and Camira comes out with similar expressions.

Balis wears his hood again to cover his face as the guards approaches them.

"_Pant*... Pant*"_ Balis clears his throat, still breathing heavily while holding his first finger up to the guards, indicating he was not finish saying what he has to say.

"G-greetings to you s- _Pant* ...Gasp*_ Naga's love..."

A knight looks over to his partner and back at the trio of random people. "...Do you need anything, folks? Why are you here?" They politely wait for Balis to catch his breath before demanding a response.

After finally regaining his breath, Balis begins to speak again. "...Phew! Sorry about that fellow guards! Now like I was trying to say, we need to test your capabilities of guarding the castle! Is that okay?"

The guards look at each other again. This stranger sure is suspicious, coming out of nowhere and demanding a exercise, but he is a tactician...

* * *

_(Hundreds of Years Ago) _

The Shepherds had just defeated the fell dragon. The news of the protection of pretty much the world spreads quickly, causing many villagers, merchants, and even some bandits to cheer for the continuation of their lives. Many of the continent Ylisse's people praises the Exalt and his militia, especially the people of the kingdom named after the continent itself.

Months later after the great battle, a lone green dragon is flying barely over the storming clouds in a sea outside of the possible waters that is transferable to boats. This is dangerous stunt even to Manaketes, but she promised herself to find her relatives... someday. Her dragon form can last at least several more days, which has been trained to refrain from changing back into human form by the war to stop the Resurrection of the dreadful pseudo god.

She has been staying close towards the clouds to maximize the chances of no human spotting her, even if the sturdiest of boats would not make here. Right now she is on her way to the north side of Valm, hoping to get their to see...well at least someone like her...

But then, a giant brown portal appears not too far above her. It slowly rotates in a two circles with many foreign symbols on it.

After rotating a couple more times, the portal shoots out golden lightning at the manakete above the clouds.

She could only stare with wide eyes at it's speed and beauty. The Blast hits her directly in the back and spirals from the clouds like an airplane shot down and into the abyss of the sea...

* * *

**Honestly, I did this just to keep the story alive for me. This chapter might be a little corny, but I'm actually excited to start the next one! :D**


End file.
